Assembly Bill 265 which requires the Desert Research Institute to conduct a study concerning water treatment, including desalination and reverse osmosis treatment systems, and recycling will be a heard in the Assembly Committee on Natural Resources, Mining and Agriculture on Wednesday march 27th. The hearing will begin at 4:00 pm and can be viewed at:
https://www.leg.state.nv.us/App/NELIS/REL/80th2019/Bill/6480/Meetings
The bill is sponsored by Assemblyman Peters, Swank and Watts. Senators Brooks, Goicoechea and Scheible are co-sponsors. AB 265 requires the Desert Research Institute to conduct a study during the 2019-2020 interim concerning water treatment and recycling. The study must include, without limitation, the advisability and feasibility of: (a) Water treatment methods, including, without limitation, desalination and reverse osmosis treatment systems; (b) Water recycling strategies, including, without limitation, utilizing nonpotable or purple pipe water for irrigation purposes in rural communities and reusing grey or reclaimed water; and (c) The use of any other technologies related to water treatment and recycling.
The Central Nevada Regional Water Authority supports desalination as a water resource for Nevada. Sustainability needs to be the foundation of any strategy for water management and Nevada, the driest state in the nation, has a finite sustainable water supply for its communities and ecosystems. Significant advances in desalination have made it a potential water resource for the future.